Bell Fruit Cascade

American, British, French or German? We want to know about it.
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badpenny
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by badpenny »

cait001 wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:25 pm what year was Cascade made?
Very early 1970s, immediately after decimalisation was foisted on us in The UK.
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by cait001 »

I remember reading 1972 somewhere, but now I can't verify. Does anyone know for sure? Seems odd considering it wasn't that long ago compared to some machines we all collect. :didact:
with American pinball you can often trace dates to manufacturer press releases and ads in trade magazines. Does the UK have their own we could verify in?
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by pennymachines »

1972 sounds right, but I've never seen anything definitive like a dated flyer, and there wasn't a patent as it was essentially a copy of much earlier games. The requisite 1p coin was available from 15 February 1971 when we went fully decimal. Bell Fruit seem to have churned out a lot over a short period, but it was a bit of a side line to their gaming machine activity.



Bell-Fruit Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Leen Gate - Old Lenton, From 'The Lenton Listener' Issue 44 February - March 1987 (no mention of the Cascade).
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by cait001 »

Thanks, I'll just run with 1972 until corrected otherwise. :)
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by cait001 »

cait001 wrote: Mon Jun 18, 2018 2:06 am does anyone know where I can find a Cascade machine for sale? I am in Canada and willing to ship...
I GOT ONE!!!!

20200228_180543.jpg

Thanks so much to the seller, he was willing to pack it up securely and it got to me in one piece. Spent a day taking it apart and fixing it and now it plays lovely.
http://pinballnovice.blogspot.com/2020/ ... scade.html
It even had a wooden coin box.

Thanks to this forum, I knew how to begin troubleshooting all the normal things, and made short work of it.
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badpenny
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by badpenny »

Well done chap, you must be chuffed, you've been after one of these for yonks!

BP !!YIPPEE!!
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by coppinpr »

well done !! whats next? !PUZZLED!
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by malcymal »

Wow, you did it. Hats off to you as I was certainly pessimistic that anybody would ship it from here. Well done.
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

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The rewards of perseverance. .:*+*:. Excellent news!
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by cait001 »

coppinpr wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:16 am well done !! whats next? !PUZZLED!
As far as European machines go, I now have a Cascade, Rialto, Win A Spangles, and a Ballwin Deluxe.
Aside from a full-sized Nordic pajatso machine, there are only a few other European machines I'm looking for to the point where I'd pay the serious shipping premiums, like Win-A-Lot, Flik Flak (German), Challenger, Easy Push, or maybe a multi-stage allwin like The Hat Trick or Steeple Chase.
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by cait001 »

Done and on the shelf. Germany and Britain together at last.
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by coppinpr »

Have you considered one of the three ball stack R&W machines (nicer than the "Hat Trick"). These are, in my view, some of the most playable allwins of all. I have a "Many Happy Returns" but would love the cigarette paying "Yours to be Won".
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Re: Bell Fruit Cascade

Post by cait001 »

Many Happy Returns is definitely up there. In the same genre, a Samsons' Challenger (or Mini Challenger) would be cool.
I wouldn't want Yours To Be Won though, I'm not into stuff with tobacco references.

But I specifically want The Hat Trick because it has that physical variable chance that can be adjusted by the operator. One thing I LOVE in this hobby is stories about the ways operators tried to maximize their profits, either through underhanded tactics or offering the illusion of better odds through machine design. The Hat Trick had the adjustable tubes that could be swapped by the operator to change the odds whenever they wanted.

The Hat Trick also has a parallel to Japanese pachinko machines where some would have "clunes", a physical cluster of holes to fall through where only one would advance you to the win, or the next physical chance round.
I run a history booth at the local pinball+gameroom show, so for me if I got a Hat Trick it would allow me to tell even more stories and make more cross-continental connections in machine evolution. :)
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Bell Cascade

Post by geordy55 »

Topic moved & merged - Site Admin.

Ok, so I’ve bought a Bell Cascade unseen and when I removed the back discovered that the coin mech is missing as well as the coin pusher on the side.
Anyone know where I get get them from? Anyone got any to sell ?
Also what is it like if I have to remove the Playfield ? I’ve heard stories that these are a nightmare to rebuilt and keep every part in place?
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Re: Bell Cascade

Post by treefrog »

Was it listed or described honestly

As has been mentioned before, I am fairly certain the coin acceptors are smaller than the standard S10’s and never seen them for sale, but would have to look at mine again to confirm. Maybe why missing.

The slide bar is more simple, a dealer has been selling repros on eBay for years for over £25 delivered and they are unplated which originals are https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CASCADE-STRI ... SwnTdZ7b4y

Can’t remember if MR PM was selling them, maybe wrong

Also do you have the pressure bar on the back, can’t see in picture. I have never had a challenge taking apart and putting back, you just need to do it at an angle.
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Re: Bell Cascade

Post by geordy55 »

Hi TF, The short answer was no, it was not listed honestly. The seller said "The machine operators
randomly., however does reject some coins.".
There is no way it can operate at all without the coin mech or the coin flicker, so a little disapointed but hey ho, that's what happens sometimes.

I don't know what a "standard S10 is, but will look it up. I'd appreciate your help in comparing it to your own.

This is the complete rear view
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Re: Bell Cascade

Post by treefrog »

I would have hit them

So dug out and you will see how tiny this item is by comparison to standard units. Showing the standard S10 and its larger cousin next to the tiny Cascade version, which is 6 by 6.5 cm.

Never seen one for sale in 12 years of collecting but seen lots of Cascades missing them, maybe the same machines going around. Just make a coin chute straight to the machine, easily done......

There are quite a few members on this site who are arcade operators etc who should know the names for each of these units, maybe they will share. Search S10 and you will find the manual in the resources, not for the others though
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badpenny
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Re: Bell Cascade

Post by badpenny »

Hi Geordie ...

I imagine the pressure bar is there, otherwise all the trips would be in a pile at the bottom of the case. Unless you've got the "grabity" turned down in your part of Lincoln.

I agree the coin reject mech is a bit of an oddity and not standard. The reason they're often missing is they were designed for the original 1np as issued in 1971. Then when the steel core 1np coins were released in 1992, their thickness was increased by .13mm. As the number in circulation increased the fewer were getting through the mech. Usually there's a fold of cardboard replacing it, why the owners at the time didn't deposit the mech inside the coin box I don't understand. It's what I always do with anything I remove from a machine, even if it's when replacing springs and split pins.
If you check through the "Search" facility above you'll find chapter and verse of laying on the floor between two chairs with the case suspended above you.

Anyway if it were me, I'd make a connecting tube from copper sheet or similar to line up the two ends. An original rejector would still need fettling so as not to be prejudiced.

BP !!COOEE!!
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Re: Bell Cascade

Post by special when lit »

If you search this site, there's pics & dimensions of the coin flicker & it's quite easy to make your own, out of a bit of 1.5mm flat plate.
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Re: Bell Cascade

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